Compare towns
Westfield vs Lancaster vs Attleboro
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Westfield has the most affordable homes ($325k median).
Lancaster has the most people working from home (33.6%).
Attleboro has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.6%).
What matters to you?
Pick a few. We’ll pull those rows to the top and mark which town comes out ahead on each. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.
| Measure | Westfield | Lancaster | Attleboro |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 40,378 |
8,606Lowest |
46,762Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+4.8% MA: +7.4% |
+6.6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.9±1.8 about the MA average |
43.1±4.9Highest 8% above MA |
39.8±1.4Lowest about the MA average |
| Lancaster and Westfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.1%±2Lowest MA: 19.4% |
19.2%±4 MA: 19.4% |
21.9%±2Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Attleboro and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18.7%±1.5 MA: 17.9% |
19.9%±4.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
15.7%±1.4Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Lancaster and Westfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 33.2%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
50.3%Highest MA: 47.3% |
34% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 10%±0.9Highest MA: 7.9% |
3%±1.8Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.8%±0.8 MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $87,753±$6kLowest 16% below MA |
$134,833±$27kHighest 30% above MA |
$98,954±$6k 5% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $325,100±$11kLowest 42% below MA |
$519,100±$60kHighest 8% below MA |
$448,100±$13k 20% below MA |
| Lancaster and Attleboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,117±$60Lowest 37% below MA |
$2,338±$539Highest 33% above MA |
$1,590±$83 10% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,746Lowest 21% below MA |
$7,235Highest 21% above MA |
$5,366 10% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.5%±5.8Lowest MA: 51.8% |
68.3%±36.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
48%±5.7 MA: 51.8% |
| Lancaster and Attleboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 10.7%Highest MA: 10% |
1.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
8.6% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 68.6% MA: 62.5% |
85.1%Highest MA: 62.5% |
66.2%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1964Lowest same as MA |
1971 7 yrs newer than MA |
1972Highest 8 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minLowest 9% below MA |
32 minHighest 9% above MA |
31 min 5% above MA |
| Work from home | 8.6%±2.2Lowest MA: 18.6% |
33.6%±9.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
14.5%±2.1 MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #197 of 282 in MA | #145 of 282 in MA | #185 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Westfield | Nashoba | Attleboro |
| High school in town | Westfield High | None in town | Attleboro High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.9Lowest |
— | 15.3Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
MA average · Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates 2020–2024; 2010 & 2020 decennial census; NCES Common Core of Data. “±” is the Census margin of error. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. School rank compares math and reading proficiency against the state average.